A 19-year-old was shot lifeless at a bonfire celebration in Virginia woods whereas attempting to cease an argument together with his girlfriend who warned him to not go, heartbreakingly discovering he had been killed in a two-word textual content message from his father .
Christian Archon Whalen was partying with a “giant group” in a wooded space in Spotsylvania County — about 55 miles exterior of Richmond — simply after midnight Sunday when a combat broke out between different partygoers, Spotsylvania County Sheriff confirmed in a press launch on Monday.
Whalen was shot “within the decrease extremity” when he tried to interrupt up the combat, police mentioned.
The division mentioned they responded to the scene round 1 a.m. after receiving reviews of pictures fired and located the injured teenager combating for his life.
“Deputies instantly started to take life-saving measures. A deputy on the scene loaded him into his cruiser and transported him to a rescue squad,” the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned.
Whalen was then rushed to a neighborhood hospital the place he died from his accidents.
After talking with quite a few witnesses, detectives decided that Kenneth Watson fired the deadly shot that killed the 19-year-old boy as he tried to interrupt up the combat.
Watson, 18, has been charged with homicide and use of a firearm within the fee of a felony and is at the moment being held with out bond on the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned it’s nonetheless investigating the taking pictures.
Whalen’s good friend, Lacey Milling, 16, mentioned NBC 4 that she tried to speak him out of going to the celebration, however he determined to go anyway.
Milling, who had been relationship Whalen for greater than a 12 months, mentioned she grew to become involved when he stopped responding to her messages.
Uncertain what occurred to her good friend, the grieving 16-year-old mentioned her worst fears got here to gentle when she began seeing social media posts from others providing prayers for Whalen.
“I am going on Snapchat and I see individuals posting on their story ‘pray for Christian,'” she instructed the outlet. “It was simply in every single place.”
It wasn’t till later that night that Milling mentioned she acquired a textual content from Whalen’s father saying her good friend had died.
“I see a discover from his father saying ‘Christian has handed away,'” mentioned the devastated teenager. “Actually these two phrases.”
Nonetheless, studying how her boyfriend had died didn’t come as a shock to Milling, who she thought of “one of the best man”.
“He would assist anybody, even his worst enemy,” she shared, including that Whalen “would not wish to argue in any respect.”
Now the 16-year-old, who was rumored to have began a household with the slain teenager, believes Whalen’s alleged killer has robbed them of a future.
“He took what I wished probably the most, which was nearly a household to develop up with,” a teary-eyed Milling instructed the publication. “I nearly obtained what I wished, however he took it away from me.”
A crowdfunding The web page, arrange by Milling to assist Whalen’s household with funeral prices, mentioned the final message she acquired from her good friend was him apologizing for not at all times being “one of the best individual.”
“I am sorry I am not one of the best individual, however I like you,” she shared his final message to her, learn earlier than he was killed.
She known as Whalening a “mild, real, loyal and caring individual” who at all times instructed her “I like you and thanks” earlier than he left to go someplace as a result of he at all times mentioned “‘the following half-hour should not promised.’ “
“His poor household now has to dwell with out their treasured son due to these egocentric individuals who do not need to bear arms,” ​​a heartbroken Milling wrote.
